Venetian blind tape



13, 1946. J. HUNTER VENETIAN BLIND TAPE Filed Jan. 16, 1945 M0547 1fairy giggle.

Patented Aug. 13, 194

FFICE VENETIAN BLIND TAPE Joseph L. Hunter, Riverside, Calif.

Application January 16, 1945, Serial No. 573,011

' Claims. (01. lee-17s) My invention relates to an improvement inVenetian blind tapes and has particular reference to a tape constructionwhich may be employed as a Venetian blind ladder which will provide areadily cleanable surface thereto.

.In Venetian blind construction it has been the common practice tosupport the Venetian blind slats upon ladders comprising a pair ofvertically extending fabric or web supporting members interconnected atintervals with cross bars of fabric or web material either sewn orinterwoven into the vertical tapes. Once the Venetian blind has beenassembled with this type of tape ladder, it is substantially impossibleto clean the tapes of dust or dirt which may collect upon them unlessthe blind is completely disassembled and the tapes subjected to alaundering process. Moreover, the Venetian blind tape ladders areexposed to weather and changing climatic conditions which cause the tapefabric to rapidly deteriorate, the fibers becoming brittle and crackingafter a relatively short life, necessitating the replacement of thesetapes with the attendant necessity for disassembly of the blind andreassembly with new tape ladders.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a tape which maybe employed in the construction ofa Venetian blind ladder wherein thetape is provided with a relatively hard, smooth, moisture-proof surfacewhich may be readily cleaned by merely wiping the same either with a dryor damp cloth while the Venetian blind remains in its assembledcondition.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a Venetian blindtape'ladder wherein the exterior of the ladder is. formed of a flexibleplastic material reinforced by fibers or fabric embedded within theplastic material.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a Venetian blindladder wherein the load of the slats and other devices supported by theladder is carried by longitudinally extending fibers, wires or fabricwhich is substantially nonstretchable embedded within a plastic surfacematerial which affords a smooth, hard, moisture-proof but flexiblesurface to the ladders, enabling them to be readily cleaned.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a Venetian blindtape of the character set forth wherein the plastic material which formsthe desired cleanable surface may be transparent or translucent toenhance the appearance and beauty of the finished blind by permittingthe employment of colors in the plastic material 2 or the combination ofa design in the reinforcing material visible through the plasticcoating.

Other objects and features of my invention will be apparent from a studyof the following speci fications; read in connection with theaccompanying drawing, ,wherein Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective viewof a portion of a Venetian blind assembly using a ladder constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of a portion of theVenetian blind ladder illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a, fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig. 2 butillustrating a modified form of my invention; and j Fig. 4 is afragmentary perspective view of a portion of a Venetian blind ladderillustrating a still further modified construction of the ladderembodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, I have illustratedv tically extending tapes 3and 4 interconnected at regular intervals by means of cross bars 5.

In accordance with the principles of my invention, I prefer to constructthe ladders 2 of plastic material 6 as illustrated in more detail inFig. 2, the plastic material having embedded therein fibers, webbingmaterial or other fabric material 1 having the characteristic of beingsubstantially non-stretchable so as to provide the necessary tensilestrength to the ladders to support the load of the slats, bottom rail orother devices which are suspended upon the ladders in the assembledVenetian blind.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated one manner in which such ladders may beconstructed as by forming strips of ladder tape material by coating thefabric reinforcement with a suitable plastic material which, atatmospheric temperatures, will be fiexible yet provide a smooth,moisture-proof surface, several plastic materials having thesecharacteristics being now available upon the market such as vinylchloride in a soft or. plasticized condition and poly-stearin. The stripof material so formed may be assembled in the shape of the ladder byinterconnecting a pair of parallel vertical tapes with short lengths 8of the strip material as by disposing a part of the cross bar stripsalong the inner surfaces of the vertical tapes and securing them to thevertical tapes by means of plastic cement adapted under the loadsimposed upon the ladders.

to adhere the particularform of plastic coating I material which hasbeen used as the coating for, the stripmaterial.

The finished ladders will therefore have a Q 7 smooth, relatively hardsurface which may be readily cleaned by merely wiping the same with adry or moist cloth while the embedded fabric material will provide thenecessary strength for supporting the 'load upon the ladders.

- By utilizing plastics of the character described in various colors,the appearance of the finished Venetian blind will be greatlyenhancedwhile,

if the particular plastic material selected is transparent ortranslucent so as to permit the fabric reinforcement to be visibletherethrough,

many combinations of colors and designs may Y ing'material may beblended or contrasted with the color of the coating material. a Byreferring particularly toFig. 3, it will be noted that a modifiedform-of construotion'of be employed in which the .color of thereinforc--v to clean the tapes, it merely being necessary to wipe of theplastic surface of the ladder while the blind is still in its assembledcondition.

It will also be noted that employment of the combination of the plasticsurface with the fibers or fabric material embedded therein will providecomprising a strip bf plastic material, said strip the finished Venetianblind ladders may be em ployed as by forming ladders of the'reinforcingfabric in which a complete assembly of vertical strips and cross bars isinitially constructed from the fabric 'or tape and then the assembledfabric ladder is coated with a plastic having the desiredcharacteristics.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a still further modifled construction ofladder embodying the principles of my invention wherein the strip ofmaterial from which the ladder to be formed comprises a strip offlexible, smooth surfaced,moisture-prooi strip of plastic material whichhasv embedded therein longitudinally extending fibers 9 which may belong threads of finely spun glass, fine wires or any other thread-likematerial having the .characteristic of resisting elongation With thisform of construction, the tape material may be assembled in the samemanner as was described with reference to 2 by interconnectingvertically extending tape members with short, lengths of the tapematerial secured inplace by means of a plastic cement adaptable to theparticular plastic employed in the construction of the tape.

From-the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a Venetianblind ladder construction in which there is no necessity fordisassembling the Venetian blind structure in order material beingflexible at atmospheric tempera tures and providing a smooth,moisture-proof surface and having fibers embedded therewithin, saidfibers being substantially non-stretchable under-longitudinal loadexerted on said strip.

-2. Atape for. use in Venetian blind ladders comprising a. fabric stripcompletely surrounded by a coating of a plastic material, said plastic 1material being flexible at atmospheric temperatures and having a smooth.moisture-proof surface.

3. A tape for use in Venetian blind ladders comprising a strip ofplastic material, said strip material being flexible at atmospherictemperatures and providing a smooth, moisture-proof surface and having aplurality of longitudinally extending threads embedded therewithin, saidthreads being substantially non-stretchable.

4. A tapefor use in Venetian blind ladders comprising-a strip of plasticmaterial, said strip material being flexible at atmospheric temperaturesand providing a smooth, moisture-proof surface and having a plurality oflongitudinally extending metal thread embedded therewithin.

5. A Venetian blind ladder comprising a pair of parallel vertical tapesconnected at regular intervals by cross bars, the tapes and the bars 1each comprising a fabric strip, said strip being completelyembeddedwithin a surface coating of a plastic material. said plastic materialbeing flexible at atmospheric temperatures and providing a smooth,moisture-proof surface.

JOSEPH L.

